The Venezuelan National Assembly has authorized the first stage for a legal reform expanding the authorities’ powers to capture and use private conversations in legal proceedings.

The changes to the Penal Organic Processing Code (Código Orgánico Procesal Penal) include a statute ordering telecommunication companies to create “24/7″ units to process and deliver the State Attorney any information the State Attorney requests, in real time if so requested.

The Public Ministry will be able to use these private conversations, “whether they are in an area, through the telephone, or any other means.”

The measure comes in the wake of Chavez’s announcement that Venezuela will have its own BlackBerry. As far as confidentiality in communications goes, the Blackberry affords the best of all the options available in the country, but not for long.

Before it becomes law, the measure must be approved by a second review in congress, after which Chavez would sign it and it would become law once it’s published in the official government gazette…all of which are controlled by Chavez.

("This is a work of fiction - any resemblance to actual personsliving or dead is purely coincidental...maybe".)

After leaving the jungle, we were still under investigation by the authorities. Sometimes this involved having our phone tapped. We had been warned of this and sometimes, you could hear a machine click on and occasionally, even breathing and other background noises.

We had nothing to hide and did not discuss anything private over the phone, certainly not with our lawyer. Even so, it was very irritating.

So... we embraced the situation. If I ever had a toddler in the house I would let them speak, and babble and sing to their hearts content over the phone.

Or, read scripture passages for long stretches!

Give the official listening in the 'Plan of Salvation".

Speak in PIG LATIN!!! Odayouyayeakspayigpayatinlay???

Our favorite, when calling one another, from the market or some such place, was to speak in Ye'kwana! This is best done in low, grave voices. Oh the evil codes they must have thought we had invented! They may have assumed we were discussing the evil empire and it's plans to dominate, but we were really just discussing what items we needed from the market. Hee, hee!!!

But the most important thing of all is to speak to the officer listening in. Say "Hello, how are you? Are you having a nice day?" If asking a question to the person with whom you are conversing, ask the official what he thinks, "SO, dear official of the day, should he bring home chicken or fish for dinner? We'll have plenty so you all can come by as well! "

And, be nice! You know, like before you hang up say ,"I am not expecting anymore phone calls this evening so why don't you just go ahead and rest now, or get a coffee".

And being a good Venezuelan family, we even ended with, "Bendición?" !

Dawn, Yes I know Mike Dawson quite well and still sty in touch. I have promoted his book here,'Growing Up Yanomami' and I also have met the Yanomami shaman turned preacher, Bautista from his village. great family and wonderful people.

Speaking in Ye'kwana or Pig Latin must have driven them crazy. It is too bad that you didn't know Klingon. Then you could have read the Scriptures to them in it. Would have driven their linguists and codebreakers crazy for months.